Edwards reaches milestone in Blue Devil victory

February 07, 2013|By Matt Wenzel, Staff Writer

HT - Matt Wenzel

GAYLORD — After the final buzzer rang at Tuesday’s girls’ basketball contest between Gaylord and Traverse City Central, while the scoreboard boasting a 58-50 Blue Devil victory, a healthy crowd wandered around the gym floor.

As senior captain Mackenzie Edwards interviewed on the Eagle 101.5 postgame radio report, friends and family waited and watched, taking pictures while holding flowers, ready to congratulate Edwards on a big milestone.

Just over three minutes into the first quarter, Edwards pulled up just inside the free throw line and sank a short jumper for career points 1,000 and 1,001. With the points, Edwards became only the third player in Gaylord history to reach four digits, joining Kelly (Krajniak) Parker and Shanna Pratt.

The game was stopped and players and fans gave a round of applause as Blue Devil coach Frank Hamilla presented Edwards with the game ball.

“I’ve never met a girl that works as hard on her skills as Mack,” Hamilla said after the game. “Anytime there is open gym she is here. Even some times when there isn’t open gym, she’s here. It’s a tribute to her and how hard she has worked during her career.”

Edwards battled through injury this season and despite missing a handful of games, the future Lake Superior State University Laker still sits near the top of the Big North Conference in scoring as the Blue Devils (6-7, 3-4 Big North) continue to improve.

“I have to give credit to my team because they are out there helping me get open giving me shots, so it wasn’t all me,” Edwards said. “(Coach) Mike Deerfield has been working with me since my freshman year and without him none of this would have happened.”

Edwards broke her hand in the first game of the season, Nov. 27 against St. Ignace. She returned to action in a Jan. 8 win against Alpena.

“I was really scared when I broke my hand,” she said. “I wasn’t sure when I would be able to play again in my senior year. But I’m glad the injury was over with quickly and I am back to normal.”

Hamilla said he is thankful the milestone came in front of the home crowd.

“The funny thing is down in Ogemaw (Feb. 1), with about 30 seconds to go, our battery went dead on the video camera. Her dad videotapes for us, so I’m glad she didn’t get the basket down there,” Hamilla said. “It’s always nice to do it in front of the home crowd, and I know the students were all excited for her.”

Edwards’ point 1,001 put Gaylord up 4-3 in an important league matchup. Following the big shot, Edwards would sink 20 other points to finish with a game-high 22.

She was not the only Blue Devil playing with jump. Madison Hamilla hit for eight points in the first quarter, including a four-point play as Gaylord took a 15-11 lead into the second stanza.

Central (2-11, 2-6 Big North) fought back in the second quarter and held a three-point lead before Alex Simmons’ 3-pointer at the buzzer led to a halftime draw, 27-27.

Gaylord broke out in the third quarter with across-the-board contributions as the Blue Devils played team ball and poured on the full-court pressure.

“We’ve talked about getting that continuity back together again and it has taken a few games,” coach Hamilla said. “We had great, balanced scoring tonight and that’s what is going to get us through the season. They were keying on Mackenzie tonight and other girls stepped up. Chelsea (Fox) made some big baskets inside, Maddie (Hamilla) had some baskets early. Mack is our key gir,l but it was a team win.”

With Fox, Simmons and Stephanie Buttrick all contributing points, the more the Blue Devils pressed on offense and defense, the more the Trojans racked up the fouls.

“They (Central) were in foul trouble and we knew we were going to go to the line,” said coach Hamilla. “We either wanted to push by penetrating or look at going into the post and going strong to the basket. We figured we would either get a layup or get a foul and go to the free throw line. That’s why it’s so important to make those free throws.”

Hamilla and Simmons both finished with 10 points, while Fox finished with seven.

Buttrick held the role of scrapper off the bench, adding a solid seven points, all in the second half.

“It’s nice to get that lift off the bench,” coach Hamilla said. “Those are points off the bench that you hope that you can get. It was probably one of the better games of the year for Stephanie.”

Gaylord carried a 44-37 lead into the fourth and as the time ticked down, the free throws were sank. Edwards finished off the Trojans, making five-of-six from the free stripe during the last 1:10 in the game.

For the efforts, Gaylord gets a few days off before TC West comes into town on Feb. 15 followed by a home make-up game against Ogemaw Heights on Feb. 18.